Natsumatsuri (Summer Festival)
by Articuno2000
Summary: A one-shot fic about Mayu coming back for one night to see her mother, Satoru, and Kagome-tachi. R/R please!


Natsumatsuri Author's Note: Konnichiwa minna-san! This is not a Kagome/Inuyasha WAFF fic, so I bet most people will leave after reading this sentence. :( This is a one-shot fic based on manga chapters 35-38, and anime episode 12. The reason I wrote this fic is because I feel that I can relate to Mayu a lot. I have a younger sister, and I also feel like the "unwanted child" sometimes. ;_; But enough about me. Let's get on with the story! ^_^ 

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Natsumatsuri   
"Summer Festival" 

  


"Okaa-san! Look! A goldfish booth! Can I try to catch one? Please? Please?" Satoru-kun tugged at my yukata. 

"Go ahead, Satoru-kun," I smiled. 

"Arigatou, Okaa-san!" He happily ran over to the goldfish booth to take his try at catching one for himself. 

I looked at the full moon hanging up in the starry sky. A light breeze was blowing my gold yukata sash around. Goldfish... Natsumatsuri.. Mayu-chan's favorite time of year. Every year we would come, and she would insist on going to the goldfish booth right away. When we got home, she would have a whole bag full of swimming goldfish. She loved them so much that one day she had asked me to sew her a yukata with goldfish prints for the next natsumatsuri! 

That was all over a year and a half ago. I looked down at the burn scars that were forever imprinted onto my hands. One day that winter, Mayu and I had another one of our fights. This time it was because I didn't show up at her class show, since Satoru came down with a fever. Mayu had accused me of liking Satoru more than her, and said that she hated both Satoru and myself. Then she ran out of the apartment. I needed to go out and buy more medicine for Satoru, so I left. I wasn't worried about Mayu, because I had thought that this squabble would end like all the others. 

But I was very wrong. When I came home, I saw smoke billowing out of the apartment. A neighbor me that it was on fire. I quickly ran up the stairs and got Satoru-kun out of there safely. When the firemen had stopped the fire, they told me that Mayu had been burnt to death. I was sad and shocked. I had had no idea that Mayu was still in the house! 

It was too late for Mayu, but Satoru was still living. He was rushed to intensive care at the hospital, and I was told that he had second degree burns. The autopsy on Mayu said third degree burns. I was devastated. I also got my hands treated, although the scars will most likely remain there forever. 

Day after day, I sat with Satoru at the hospital, sewing the goldfish yukata that Mayu would never be able wear. Eventually, Satoru regained his physical health, but was still unconscious. In the earlier days, many of his classmates would come visit him. But then strange things started happening, and everyone got scared away. Even no one could go clean up the apartment, because everyone thought it was haunted. 

After six months, only Higurashi Souta-kun would come to visit Satoru-kun. The day he came with his sister Kagome, something pulled out the cable to Satoru's life support system. And as I was about to leave that night, a crash came through his window. Kagome and I went back upstairs, and saw Mayu! She knocked me down unconscious, and I'm not sure what happened after that. 

The next morning I went back to the burnt apartment, and looked into the closet where Mayu died. Then I heard a voice. "Okaa-san!" She told me that she was sorry, and that she had to leave now. That was the last I saw of Mayu. 

Satoru was able to leave the hospital a week later. 

Mayu.. how I wish you could be here now. But I'm happy.. knowing that you passed on in peace. 

~*~ 

"Don't run away little fishie!" I swiped at the fish with my net, but it quickly darted away. ..I wish Mayu onee-chan was here now! She could always catch lots and lots of fish! But she died.. in that fire a year and a half ago. 

I had told her not to put her scarf by the stove! But being sick in bed, I could do nothing about it. Onee-chan hid in the closet, telling me not to tell okaa-san, and that she wanted to make her worry. 

Soon, the scarf caught on fire, and the whole apartment was burning. Okaa-san and a firemen came up and rescued me, but they didn't know that onee-chan was still in the house. I tried to tell them, but I was too weak. Mayu onee-chan got burned to death. 

Tears started rolling down my face. Suddenly, I didn't want to catch goldfish anymore. All I wanted was to have Mayu onee-chan back here with mom and I. 

"Okaa-san," I whined. "I miss Mayu onee-chan!" 

"I do too, Satoru-kun, I do too." Okaa-san pulled me into a hug, and we both wept. 

~*~ 

"Oy, Kagome, when are we gonna go back? This is boring!" complained Inuyasha. 

"Geez, you never want to do anything but search for Shikon Shards, do you?" Kagome asked. "Enjoy yourself! Natsumatsuri is really fun!" 

"I have to agree with Kagome-sama. This 'Natsumatsuri' is quite fun. All these girls look very lovely in their yukatas." Miroku ogled at a girl that passed by. 

"Miroku.." Sango bopped him on the head with Hiraikotsu. She was dressed in her normal clothing. Actually, everyone was, except for Kagome, who's hair was tied up in a ponytail and was wearing a light purple yukata decorated with sakura blossoms. 

"Kagome-chan, let's go over there!" Shippou pointed to the goldfish catching booth. "It looks fun!" 

"All right, Shippou-chan." The gang headed over in that direction. When they reached the booth, Shippou was given a net, and he started to try to catch the fish. 

"Feh, what's the point of this stupid game?" asked Inuyasha. "Why the hell would anyone want goldfish? It's not like you're gonna catch any anyway." He bopped Shippou on the head. 

"Itai! Why'd you have to do that?" Shippou whined, clutching his head. 

"Excuse me," a voice behind them said. "May I try after you?" It was a girl with her hair in two pigtails, wearing a purple yukata with a gold sash and goldfish prints on it. 

Kagome gasped! "Mayu-chan! What are you doing here?" 

"Konnichiwa, Kagome onee-chan," smiled Mayu. 

"It's great to see you again," Kagome replied. 

Inuyasha broke the staring contest with Shippou and looked suspiciously at the girl. "Hey, aren't you that evil sprit kid that almost got dragged down to hell? How the heck-" 

"Osuwari!" 

*splat!* Inuyasha crashed to the ground. "Why you..." 

"Inuyasha! Mayu-chan is NOT an evil spirit kid!" Kagome glared down at him. 

"Grr..." 

Mayu giggled at them. "I get to stay here for a night, and then I have to go back to the other world. I picked tonight because Natsumatsuri is my favorite time of year!" 

"Ah, sugoi ne, Mayu-chan! Are you going to try to find your mother and Satoru-kun?" asked Kagome. 

"Un. I think they're here, because we used to come to the Summer Festival every year. Ano..." Mayu looked around and noticed Miroku, Sango, and Shippou. "Who are they? And who's the guy on the ground" 

"Oh they're my friends," Kagome replied. "The one on the ground with the red kimono is called Inuyasha. He's a really strong hanyou." 

"Feh." 

"The little kitsune over there, is Shippou, and the guy with the staff is Miroku, a Buddhist priest." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mayu-chan," said Miroku, as he shook Mayu's hand. "You're very cute, but alas, I'm afraid you're too young..." He sighed. 

"Miroku no hentai..." Sango's vein was popping out. "How could you even THINK of asking a little girl like her THAT? You dirty houshi!!" She brought Hiraikotsu down on him again, this time with full force. 

"Itai.." 

Mayu giggled. 

"That's Sango-chan. She's a youkai exterminator," Kagome said. 

"It's very nice to meet you," smiled Sango. "I apologize for houshi-sama's rudeness." 

"It's ok." Mayu turned to Kagome. "Thank you for introducing your friends to me, Kagome onee-chan, but I have to go find Okaa-san and Satoru-kun now. Ja ne!" Mayu waved and ran off. 

Kagome waved back. "Sayonara, Mayu-chan!" 

"So, Kagome-sama, can you tell us the story of Mayu?" asked Miroku 

"Sure." Kagome started telling the story. 

~*~ 

"Okaa-san, Satoru-kun... where could they be?" Mayu thought aloud. "Ah! There they are!" They found them sitting on a hill, watching the stars. 

"Okaa-san! Satoru-kun! Okaa-san! Satoru-kun!" Mayu rushed towards the hill. 

"Huh?" Satoru looked up. "Okaa-san, I think I hear onee-chan's voice!" 

"Mayu.." I whispered. 

"Okaa-san!" Mayu shouted once again. 

"Mayu!" Satoru and I rushed over to greet Mayu. I hugged her tightly. "Mayu! How did you get here? 

Mayu grinned broadly. "I get to stay here for a night, and then I have to go back to the other world." 

"That's wonderful!" I replied, hugging Mayu tighter. 

Satoru tugged at Mayu's yukata. "It's so great to see again, onee-chan! Okaa-san and I missed you!" 

"I missed you too, okaa-san, Satoru-kun. Demo... I came here to apologize, and tell okaa-san the truth about the fire.. I didn't have enough time to tell you before I left last time." Mayu took a deep breath and stared at the ground, tears welling up in her eyes. "Okaa-san.. neither you or Satoru-kun were to blame for the fire. It.. it was my fault. If I had listened to Satoru-kun, and not put my scarf by the stove.. then.." Mayu choked on her words, as the tears slipped out. 

I pulled Mayu closer to me. "Daijoubu, Mayu-chan. No one blames you. Everything is going to be just fine," I smiled. 

"Honto?" asked Mayu. "You're not mad at me?" 

I shook my head. "No, I'm definitely not." Mayu wiped her tears away and started smiling again. 

Satoru tugged at my yukata. "Haiyaku, let's go enjoy the festival while we still can! Onee-chan, can you catch some goldfish for me?" 

"You bet!" Satoru and Mayu ran off towards the goldfish booth together. 

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kami-sama," I whispered to the wind, "for letting Mayu spend another Natsumatsuri with us." And with that, I ran after the two troublemakers. 

~*The End*~ 

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A/N: So what did you think? Was it good? Did it suck? If you're reading this at FF.N or Mediaminer, please R/R! Arigatou! ^_^ 


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